Utility water lines are buried below ground level in order to position them out of sight and to prevent freezing of the water in the winter. Meters connected to these lines to measure water use are typically contained in underground wells or boxes for the same reasons.
In many regions of poor drainage and low level regions in general, water from rains and snows frequently stands in the boxes above the face of the meter. Water above the meter face makes it difficult or even impossible to read the numbers on the meter. Thus, it often becomes necessary to bail water from the meter box in order to read the meter. This, of course, is a costly labor intensive job for the utility company. This cost must be passed on to the consumer through higher utility rates for water.
There have been many proposed solutions to this problem in the art. In U.S. Pat. No. 1,236,265 to Casson, a tapered tube is provided for reading the meter. The top end of the tube is sealed by a transparent member. In use, the tube is lowered into the meter box until the lower end engages the meter face. Trapped air in the tube forces most of the water outwardly to reduce interference with the reading of the meter. It should be recognized, however, that some water remains within the tube above the meter face. This water can, of course, prevent accurate meter reading. This is particularly true where the water is murky by being stirred up as, for example, may occur by the use of the tool itself.
U.S. Pat. No. 654,615 to Estill discloses a meter wherein the meter face is positioned on the upper end of an extension pipe or bar. While this does allow for the positioning of the meter face above ground level and any possible accumulation of water in the meter box for easy reading, the device has clear disadvantages that have prevented it from being commercially successful. First, it requires a complicated linkage between the raised meter face and the mechanism for measuring water use below the meter face at the water pipes. Disadvantageously, the linkage system is susceptible to service problems, particularly in the harsh, wet and corrosive environment of the meter box. Second, if the meter face is provided above ground level, part of the box must extend above the ground. A raised meter box of this type is unsightly. Further, it is dangerous as the raised portion could easily be tripped over and/or fallen upon. Third, the meter in Estill is not easily retrofitted to existing meters and, therefore, utility companies are not likely to replace existing meters with this totally different design. It is therefore seen that a need exists for an improved meter reading device.